Jasper Middle School's Kate Hauersperger, an 8th-grader, spells her way to a fourth-place finish at the 2012 Tri-State Spelling Bee at Ivy Tech in Evansville Saturday afternoon.

Carter Martin (13) collapses in his chair after spelling a tough word during the 2012 Tri-State Spelling Bee at Ivy Tech Saturday afternoon.

Austin Burden from Madisonville, Ky., sports the number three on his placard and wound up taking third place in the 2012 Tri-State Spelling Bee at Ivy Tech Saturday afternoon.

There were only three spellers left competing when the 2012 Tri-State Spelling Bee was winding down at Ivy Tech Saturday afternoon. Aaron Manning (12) won the competition, but Blake Hicks (7) and Austin Burden (3) had to compete in a spell-off after tying for second place. Eventually it was Hicks who won the runner-up title and Burden finished in third place.